#Associations

2020-09-28

Hugues Schellenberg new UCMTF President

The French Textile Equipment manufacturers’ Association, well known as UCMTF, as elected a new President following the retirement of Bruno Ameline who has chaired the association since 2004.

Hugues Schellenberg who has been on the board for 10 years, has been unanimously elected to succeed him. He is the CEO of Dollfus-Muller of Heimsbrunn in the French province of Alsace.

An engineer, Schellenberg got an MBA from Montpellier University in Southern France. As President of UCMTF, Schellenberg will represent the French association on the board of Cematex, the owner of ITMAs. After his election, Schellenberg initiated a standing ovation to thank Bruno Ameline for his outstanding job during his 4 terms of tenure (16 years).

Hestated “it is a great honor buta stressing responsibility to become the UCMTF President in such the uncertain environment our companies have to face worldwide due to the Covid pandemic.

For the long run, I am very positive thanks to our state-of-the-art equipments, our services which are up to the best standards, our teams which are so professionals and motivated but right now our business is on a bumpy road”

As CEO of Dollfus-Muller, Schellenberg spends at least half of his time with customers that he visits worldwide. This is how he keeps a firsthand contact and a deep connection with the needs of the market in order to both manage his company on aday to day basis and design its long term strategy.

In addition to UCMTF, Schellenberg is very active in many national, regional and national associations, including the chairmanship of a trade association to improve the employment of underprivileged workers.

UCMTF members will present latest solutions that address the main trends

ITM 2024 is a great opportunity to meet in person, at the highest level, to find and offer the best solutions. Of course, there are some main trends: sustainability, raw materials, energy and water savings, recycling, digitalization, cloud computing, artificial Intelligence, cost efficiency etc. Another main trend for UCMTF members is act as a local partner wherever the customers are located.

Meadow Grove Research joins ITMF as Corporate Member

Meadow Grove Research is a commodity research firm specializing in supply, demand, and trade analysis in cotton and other soft commodities. Providing clarity to the complex nature of the global fiber supply chain is one of its most formidable services. The firm thrives on customer engagement and providing the best framework for critical decisions.

Sustainability: European industry calls on EU to keep Single-Use Plastics Directive unchanged

A broad coalition of European industry associations, including EDANA, Euratex and Plastics Europe, has urged EU institutions to maintain the current legal framework of the Single-Use Plastics Directive (SUPD). In a joint statement, the organisations argue that reopening the Directive at this stage would create legal uncertainty, increase regulatory complexity and undermine investment, while its implementation across the European Union is still incomplete.

Textile machinery: Italian technology charts the course for revival

Operating in a scenario characterized by geopolitical instability, slowing industrial investments, and new protectionist pressures. This is the main challenge for the Italian textile machinery industry that emerged during the General Assembly of ACIMIT (Association of Italian Textile Machinery Manufacturers), held today in Milan at the Shareholders’ Hall of Palazzo Edison.

New skills for a circular textile economy

Based on the results of a comprehensive analysis, the Erasmus+ project Skills4Circularity is developing three practical training modules covering recycling technologies, eco-design for the circular economy and sustainable manufacturing. The content of the first module, Recycling Technologies, has now been developed and validated together with industry representatives. The module provides participants with knowledge of regulatory requirements, material sorting and the preparation of textile waste for recycling.

Rieter sees Barmag integration on track as orders and sales rise

The first half of 2026 was shaped by the successful completion of the largest acquisition in Rieter’s history. The Man-Made Fiber Division enables entry into the growth segment of man-made fibers and sustainably strengthens Rieter’s market position in the Asia region. The expanded Group is now the world’s leading system supplier for the processing of natural and man-made fibers. In the first half of the year, initial cost savings in material costs and operating expenses have already been realized. The targeted synergies are expected to amount to at least CHF 20 million by the end of the 2028 financial year. Due to the completion of the acquisition on February 2, 2026, the first half of the year for the Man-Made Fiber Division only amounts to five months.